Children’s author Michelle Nelson-Schmidt shares how facing our fears is crucial to the true wellness that comes from following our dreams.

Michelle Nelson-Schmidt is a children’s book author and illustrator who travels the nation teaching children how to face their fears, listen to their inner voices, be themselves despite what the world tells them, and to follow their dreams. Her story is liberating and inspiring, and shows us that while the road to your dreams may be rocky, scary, hard, and full of failures and mistakes, it’s worth it. Her books are meant for children, but her message is equally important to all adults because we have been hurt, squashed, and bruised from the negative messages of the world. Michelle’s wisdom through her stories teaches us how to listen to our hearts underneath the loud voice of our fears, embrace our true authentic selves, believe in the magic of giving, and tune in to our interconnectivity to each other for true wellness.

“When you start to trust in who you are in this world and listen to your heart amazing things begin happening [sic].” – Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

“A bad test grade does not make you a bad person.” – Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

Listen to the podcast to hear:

How Michelle’s message changed the entire course of my wellness path and career

Michelle’s winding path to following her dreams

How Michelle felt watching everyone else following their dreams while she wasn’t

How just because you are good at something doesn’t mean it’s your true calling

How it felt to choose the safe version of her passion instead of going all in

The difference between hard work and heart work, and how following your dreams requires both

Why the freedom to fail and embracing mistakes is crucial to following your dreams

What Jonathan James and theWhat If Monster teaches us about facing our fears and anxiety

What Bob is a Unicorn teaches us about being ourselves and find our tribe

What Cordelia teaches us about taking accountability for your choices, owning your passion, and making the world better because of it

How Michelle’s very successful marketing strategy is very different from what we are taught, and how to embrace giving

The difference between giving to get, vs. giving for joy

The difference between expectations vs. faith

The importance of interconnectivity for maintaining joy

“Just because some people don’t ‘get you’ or understand you does not mean you’re wrong and you gotta’ stay true to yourself because eventually what happens is your people find you. People that think like you, act like you – we’re magnets in this world. ” – Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

“When you shine your light you give permission for others – you shine that light on others and you give permission to everybody else (to shine).” – Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

“Everything You Need to Know About Sun Health”

About Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

I am Michelle Nelson-Schmidt, I live in Lilburn, Georgia and I have the great privilege of getting to be an author and illustrator for EDC Publishing. After about 10 years eeking my way towards that goal while working full-time as a mother and graphic designer, I am finally doing it full time. Sometimes I need to pinch myself when I realize that this is actually my life. I still sometimes look behind me to see the ‘author’ that a person next to me is talking about. I write and illustrate books for kids. Wow! THIS IS MY LIFE! I travel to schools all over the United States reading them my books, talking about my journey and encouraging them to follow their dreams – with everything they’ve got – no matter what! Because my life is magical, it truly is and every minute, even the doubting, painful ones were so worth it to get to here, I want every person I know and meet to understand that this life is meant to be magical – and we all can have a magical life. You just have to have the courage to look for it and work for it.

I love that I get to show my children and all the children I meet (over 400,000 now) that life is what you make it. That persistence and hard work will overcome almost any obstacle – and I of course have to make sure that they know reading is pretty much the key it all, no matter what your dream.

When I am not traveling I am busy being silly and having fun with the loves of my life – my husband Kevin, my son Noah, my daughter Sophia and our two crazy dogs, Piggy Pie and Otto Von Schmidt. They are all my everything and I love them more than bees love flowers!

Enter Michelle’s wonderful world full of freebies, inspiration and and books at here.

To join her each Wednesday on her Story Time Live, follow her on Facebook here.